Dawood surrender makes for good TV debate not news: Former RAW chief

New Delhi, May 5: The news about Dawood Ibrahim wanting to surrender does make for good television, but does it make news today? How relevant are these debates on Dawood's surrender today?

Is the Dawood debate relevant at all today?Former Chief of the Research and Analysis Wing, C D Sahay discusses with oneindia the Dawood Ibrahim surrender issue.

Is the debate relevant at all today?
" We are today talking about something that took place in the 1990s. Does it have any relevance at all today? Do surrender of fugitives figure in causual conversations? It needs a much higher level of involvement and deliberation.

Had Dawood been really serious about his surrender, he would have made the right attempt. In fact the manner in which he has chosen to go about it only has spoilt the credibility of the offer he has made, " Sahay says.

Would Pakistan have agreed?

"If the entire issue surrounding his surrender was that easy, the question that needs to be asked is would Pakistan have agreed to the same. It was clear that he had taken shelter in Pakistan and for him to get out of there, he would have needed their approval."

The terms of surrender would have to be set and this would have had to be done with the approval or nod of the Pakistanis. It is all not that easy and there is a lot that goes into all this. In today's scenario his surrender debate seems completely irrelevant," Sahay further points out.

Dawood upgraded to a strategic asset:

"It is a well known fact that Dawood has a roaring business which he operates out of Pakistan. When he took shelter in Pakistan, he and the ISI struck a deal which included a long term operational plan.

The understanding he had with the ISI is understandable and not justifiable. In fact Dawood had become a strategic asset to them. From a mere criminal and fugitive he had in no time been upgraded to a strategic asset not only against India, but in all other respects as well.

He was upgraded because of his access to large amount of cash which was being utilized by the ISI. Moreover he has a solid network which also comes in handy for the ISI, " says the former R&AW chief.

Why would he offer to surrender?
" The surrender offer was made a long time ago. It was at that time when he had just moved into Pakistan. One could say that the offer of surrender could have been made with a great deal of reluctance or hesitation.

He was still weighing his options and there would have been a time when he could have been missing home. From what can be gathered, Dawood's offer of surrender were not all that serious. He appeared to be reluctant and never took the offer to the channels which could have acted upon it," says C D Sahay.

Is Dawood still in Pakistan?
"Where else would he be? It is a well established fact that he lives in Karachi. As pointed out earlier he has become a strategic and Pakistan would not want to give him up.

He has a facility in Lahore as well and we hear that there is a lot of internal moving of Dawood Ibrahim between Lahore and Karachi. Interestingly the entire Dawood surrender debate today ceases to become news, but yes it makes only for television debate," says Sahay.

OneIndia news